practicing mise en place

“Not so devilish” noodles

Shirataki noodles are thin, translucent, gelatinous traditional Japanese noodles made from the konjac yam (aka devil’s tongue yam or elephant yam). They are mostly comprised of glucomannan starch, which is an indigestible fiber. While very low in carbohydrates and calories and lacking much flavor of their own, shirataki noodles easily pick up the flavors of whatever sauce they are in. Their slippery texture may be a little unfamiliar to some, but dry roasting them in a non-stick pan can give them more of a pasta-like consistency.

Convenience-wise, shirataki noodles couldn’t be easier – just drain, rinse, and then use! J. Kenji López-Alt from Serious Eats even has a great recipe for Sichuan-style shirataki noodle and cucumber salad and sings their praises here.

Add oyster and crimini mushrooms with a pinch of salt to the pan and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes, until they begin to soften and slightly brown at the edges. Add minced garlic, soy paste, sugar, and 1 tsp low-sodium soy sauce. Stir-fry for another 1-2 minutes.